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Discussion Questions for Women in Film Gathering, January 10, 2012

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Discussion Questions for Women in Film Gathering, January 10, 2012 1 Discussion Questions for Women in Film Gathering, January 10, 2012: Focal Film: Swept Away (Full title: Swept Away by an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August , or Travolti da un insolito destino nell'azzurro mare d'agosto, 1974; Written and Directed by Lina Wertmüller) NOTE: We will be discussing the 1974 film by Lina Wertmüller, not the 2002 remake directed by Guy Ritchie and starring his wife, Madonna. This film is the first we’ve examined that was directed by a woman. Rather than presenting us with a rich variety of female roles, this narrative focuses on a particular woman and her changing relationships with two men. The characters are: * Raffaella Pavone Lanzetti , a beautiful and spoiled rich woman (played by Mariangela Melato) * Her husband Pavone Lanzetti (played by Riccardo Salvino) * The yacht’s crew member Gennarino Carunchio (played by Giancarlo Giannini) * His wife, Anna (played by Isa Danieli) 1. Throughout the film, Raffaella’s personality seems to shift dramatically. At which points are you most able to identify with her? Why? 2. What do these changes mean, in terms of Raffaella’s development as a human being, and as a woman? 3. Do these changes reflect the variety of roles of women in the world? Or the changing roles? 4. Important critics of this film have labeled it misogynistic and crude (e.g., a “male rape fantasy film”), reinforcing cultural and sexist stereotypes. On the other hand, Wertmüller and her supporters see the film as challenging and provoking discussion on the oppression of women worldwide. In fact, Wertmüller has said that those who see this film as sexist are “idiots.” What is your take on the film? 5. In particular, debate has centered on the famous sequence in which Gennarino chases, assaults, kicks and repeatedly slaps Raffaella. What is your take on the use of physical violence in this film? 6. Lina Wertmüller is, as they say, “the Italian filmmaker with the German name.” She was born in 1926 in Rome to Swiss immigrant parents. However, critics have noted an emphasis in her films on traditional Italian mores and values, including challenges to the traditional roles of the sexes in Italy. Does this film seem to present a particularly “Italian view?” 7. After early work on the stage as actor, writer, and director, Wertmüller served as Assistant Director to Federico Fellini on his autobiographical film 8½. Can you detect any Fellini influence in Swept Away? 8. Swept Away has frequently been compared to two key literary works‐‐William Golding’s Lord of the Flies and J. M. Barrie’s The Admirable Crichton, both of which deal with the behaviors of shipwrecked persons on uninhabited islands. Obviously, Swept Away shifts the focus from social hierarchy to sexual politics. What do you think of this? And what are other similarities and differences? 2 9. Wertmüller’s films have been called “sociosexual parables” presented in an Italian comedy style. Does this fit Swept Away? Is there good satire here? Quite basically, do you find the film funny? 10. As with every film, there are a variety of motifs woven throughout. There is, for example, the motif of dichotomies—According to author Grace Bullaro, the film shows struggles (1) between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, (2) between the macho male and the bitchy female, and (3) between the regressive South and the industrial North of Italy. What do these dichotomies convey to you? 11. Another motif is the use of irony. Certainly, there is the irony of the role‐reversal that occurs to Raffaella and Gennarino. What other ironies do you see? 12. Another way in which critics and scholars have looked at Swept Away is in terms of nature vs. nurture. Is the relationship that Raffaella and Gennarino construct on the island the “natural” way of living? 13. In their Film Quarterly review of the film, Carolyn Porter and Paul Thomas point out the uncomfortable ending, in which Wertmüller’s camera follows Gennarino back along the pier to his wife, and the “ugly urban civilization” that awaits. What is your interpretation of this ending? 14. Lina Wertmüller has been called “a defender of the downtrodden, an idealist anarchist who realizes anarchy is impractical yet still cherishes the notion of total individual freedom” (St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia). Does Swept Away seem to reveal this political orientation? 15. Indeed, Wertmüller has been identified as a filmmaker who has provided an important focus on the Italian working class at a critical time in the history of the labor movement. Does Swept Away seem to reveal this focus? 16. In this film, the main location—the blue expanse of the Mediterranean—serves as more than a backdrop. It is almost a character in the movie, a force that acts upon the characters. The characters note surprise that they find an uninhabited world in the midst of this sea. They view the Mediterranean as the center of the civilized world, but instead it wraps the two main characters in a blue isolation. How did this location affect your interpretation of the film’s story? 17. Wertmüller’s primary films are The Seduction of Mimi (1972), Swept Away (1974), and Seven Beauties (1976). All three gained immense international attention on their release. The films she has directed subsequent to this golden period have been less successful, both commercially and artistically. Critics have been harsh, and Wertmüller is now regarded by many as only a passing success. How does this film contribute to, or contradict, this view of the director? 18. Regardless, Wertmüller was the first female director to be nominated for an Academy Award, for Seven Beauties in 1976. This extraordinary honor deserves attention. What can you see in Swept Away that distinguishes Wertmüller’s work in such a way that attracted world attention? 19. Are there any particular messages and meanings in this film that have personal importance to you? Are you able to connect with this film on a personal level? .
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